Ghost Problems
by rosetyler4ever
Summary: Set in Series 4, with Martha and Donna as the Doctor's companions. An ordinary day with the Doctor starts to spiral out of control. A ghostly apparition appears, and secrets about the Timelords and the Titanic set to be told. But time is running out.
1. Prologue

The Doctor tiredly rubbed his ancient eyes, which had already seen too much. Another day with Donna and Martha. As soon as they woke up he would have to fake a smile, pretend everything was alright. But in reality it was not. He was still hurting, consumed by a numbness inside of his body. He'd lost the Master, and was once again the last of the Timelords. He still missed Rose, and was still nursing the damage from the Time War. This regeneration was not care free, as everyone thought. It was just better at keeping his emotions hidden.


	2. Arguments and an Unexpected Visitor

As Martha woke up from her sleep, she looked bleary eyed at her room on board on the TARDIS. It was slightly bigger than her room back on Earth, and had slightly more expensive accessories. Other than that, it was identical to her old room, right down to the photos on her bedside table. It was like going from home to home.

Fortunately, she wasn't required to work to pay the rent for this home, so she could afford longer lie ins. In a way, Martha didn't mind waking up early as much as she had at "home." Now, as soon as Donna and herself were up, they could be exploring a new planet, relaxing underneath a different golden sun. However, trouble was normally just around the corner, as the Doctor appeared to be a trouble magnet. Still, it made the day seem even better, in a deluded sort of way. A day, no a week, spent relaxing, not running for your life was dull. It was like a life in monotone.

Martha began her morning routine. Wake up, get washed, get changed, have breakfast. Whatever happened in her life, this one part of her day was the only constant factor. After that, well, who knew? A visit to prehistoric Earth, Earth in the year 204,000, a different planet even. As soon as Martha stepped outside the TARDIS doors she could be, well, anywhere.

Martha finished getting changed and quickly brushed her hair, before inspecting herself in the mirror. She did this purely out of habit now. She used to hope that the Doctor would someday love her, and so tried to look her best. Now Martha realized that he could not love her, as apposed to would not. He lost his hearts long ago to a certain Rose Tyler, and she had no change of ever retrieving them.

Martha looked once more at the mirror, smoothing out the creases on her t-shirt before leaving her bedroom, and walking towards the TARDIS kitchen via the TARDIS console room. She often found the Doctor there. He said he was mending the TARDIS but Martha saw through that immediately. He was preparing his shield, under which he kept hidden all his emotions underneath, leaving everyone around him with the illusion that everything was hunky dory in his life. Martha could see through this facade and instead saw a Timelord, lonely and broken. She'd tried to help him as much as possible, yet it had not worked. She now just hoped that all he needed was time to heal his broken hearts.

She entered the console room, where Donna was already standing, her arms crossed. Martha walked over to Donna and followed her line of sight, ending up looking a brown figure underneath the TARDIS floor.

"Martha, he's refusing to get some breakfast," Donna angrily said to Martha. Ever since Donna had joined the TARDIS she had taken it on herself to look after his well being. "He's already skinny enough as it is, he's starting to make me look fat when I stand near him!"

"Donna," the Doctor replied from underneath the TARDIS floor. "You do not look fat. And I don't have to eat as much as you humans because of my Timelord psychology.

"Just like you don't need to to sleep as much," Martha added to the Doctor's statement.

"Correctamundo," the Doctor's muffled voice said. He got out from under the TARDIS floor and took the sonic screwdriver out of his mouth. "Wait, I said I was never going to say that again -"

"Doctor, if Timelords don't need so much sleep, then why do you have bags under your eyes?" Donna interrupted.

"Well," the Doctor started. "You see Timelords..." he trailed off, looking at the TARDIS scanners. "What do you mean?" he asked the TARDIS, staring at the screen.

"What Doctor?" Martha asked, stepping forward. "What does it say?"

"Look at corridor," he said, running a hand through his hair. He turned around and stared at the female figure, leaning against the corridor wall, as she glowed a pale blue. Martha and Donna turned around as well and stared at the figure.

"Rose," the Doctor whispered, running forward and standing roughly a metre away from Rose.

"Hi Doctor," Rose replied, smiling at the Doctor.


End file.
